Programme

Day 1 / 20.05.2025

Congress Opening

09.00

Registration

09.30

Opening.

– Edgars Rinkēvičs, President of Latvia

– Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare (video address)

Zanda Lukaševiča-Kalniņa, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Latvia

– Hosams Abu Meri, Minister of Health of the Republic of Latvia

– Olga Valciņa, founder of the Latvian oncological patient organization “Onkoalianse”

 

Session 1: Policy Options for Equality in Cancer Treatment

10.00

INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATIONS

INEQUALITIES IN CANCER PATIENTS IN THE EU CHARACTERISTICS
– Nicolò Matteo Luca Battisti, Co-chair, European Cancer Organization Inequalities Network

EUROPE’S BEATING CANCER PLAN ON THE POLITICAL AGENDA OF EU COUNTRIES
– Ivars Ījabs, Latvian Member of the European Parliament, Deputy Head of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA), Latvia

THE IMPACT OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM ON CANCER INEQUALITIES
Dr Dheepa Rajan, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, WHO European Centre for Health Policy, Belgium

THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES IN REDUCING INEQUALITIES IN CANCER CARE
Dr Karla Hernández-Villafuerte, Senior Researcher on Health Economics, WifOR Institute, Germany

11.00

DISCUSSION: STRATEGIES AND EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE FOR ENSURING EQUALITY

Moderator: Ivars Ījabs, Latvian Member of the European Parliament, Deputy Head of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA), Latvia

PARTICIPANTS:
– Līga Kozlovska,
Head of the Public Health Sub-Committee of the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia

Dace Kļaviņa, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Latvia

Radu Gănescu, President of the Romanian National Coalition of Chronic Disease Patient Organisations (COPAC), Romania

Jacek Maciejewski, Member of the management board of the Rak’n’Roll Foundation, Poland

11.40

BREAK

 

Session 2: Innovation and research in cancer treatment

11.50

INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATIONS

EUROPE’S LEADING RESEARCH PROJECTS IN THE FIELD OF CANCER TREATMENT
– Bogi Eliasen, Executive Director, Movement Health Foundation

THE LATEST BIOTECHNOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES AND THEIR ROLE IN PERSONALISED TREATMENTS
– Prof. Mārcis Leja, Director of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia

12.20

DISCUSSION: COOPERATION BETWEEN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIA IN CREATING INNOVATION

Moderator: Olga Valciņa, founder of the Latvian oncological patient organization “Onkoalianse”

PARTICIPANTS:
– Dr. Alinta Hegmane, Chair of the Latvian Association of Oncologists

Normunds Staņevičs, Chairman of the Board of Riga East University Hospital, Latvia

Dainis Krieviņš, Director of the Institute of Science, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Latvia

13.00

LUNCH BREAK

Session 3: The Cost of Cancer Treatment – How to Ensure Reasonable Prices for Patients?

13.45

INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATION

A VALUE-BASED HEALTHCARE APPROACH TO INCREASING HEALTHCARE EFFICIENCY AND REDUCING COSTS
– Zofia Das-Gupta, Senior Director of Outcomes Research, International Consortium of Health Result Measurements (ICHOM)

14.00

DISCUSSION: OPTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING A VALUE-BASED APPROACH 

Moderator: Olga Valciņa, founder of the Latvian oncological patient organization “Onkoalianse”

PARTICIPANTS:
– Valts Ābols, Chairman of the Board, Children’s Clinical University Hospital, Latvia

Daiga Behmane, researcher at the Riga Stradins University, Latvia

Inès Aoufi, Associate Consultant, European Initiative on Ending Discrimination Against Cancer Survivors, Belgium

 

Session 4: How to ensure equal access to innovation for all patients

14.40

INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATION

PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR INNOVATING AND ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS TO NEW MEDICINES IN EUROPE
– Adam Sohn, Head of Patient Engagement Solutions, IQVIA, US

14.55

DISCUSSION: FAIRNESS OPTIONS AND EXISTING MECHANISMS

Moderator: Inese Supe

PARTICIPANTS:
– Ingrīda Circene, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Social and Labour Affairs, Latvia

Neringa Ciakiene, Head of the Lithuanian Cancer Patient Coalition (POLA), Lithuania

Maija Āboliņa, Member of the Supervisory Board, State Audit Office, Latvia

Aija Geriņa, Chair of the Association of Oncology Chemotherapists, Latvia

15.30

CLOSING NOTE AND CONCLUSIONS

-Ingrīda Circene,Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Social and Labour Affairs, Latvia

– Olga Valciņa, founder of the Latvian oncological patient organization “Onkoalianse”

Day 2 / 21.05.2025

PATIENTS FORUM - closed session

09.00

Patients’ NGO discussion: patient advocacy strategies and outcomes. Exchange of experiences.

11.00

Patients’ NGO discussion: patient advocacy strategies and outcomes. Exchange of experiences.

13.00

Closing note